Functional connectivity alterations in high-functioning preschool boys with autism spectrum disorder

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Biomarkers

Background:

• Information processing deficits are core to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms.
• Functional connectivity is crucial for brain information integration.
• Previous research identified atypical connectivity in older individuals with ASD, but preschool-age alterations remain understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) functional connectivity in preschool boys with ASD compared to typically developing (TD) peers.
• To explore the relationship between functional connectivity and ASD symptom severity.

Main Methods:

• Resting-state EEG data were collected from high-functioning preschool boys with ASD and TD controls.
• Network-based statistic (NBS) was used to identify differences in functional connectivity.
• Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) measured ASD symptom severity.
• Correlation analyses examined links between connectivity and symptoms.

Main Results:

• Decreased long-range functional connections in the delta band (1-4 Hz) were observed in ASD preschool boys.
• These alterations included both intrahemispheric and interhemispheric connections.
• Connectivity differences showed large effect sizes and significant correlations with specific ASD symptom severity measures.

Conclusions:

• Preschool boys with ASD exhibit a pattern of weakened long-range functional connectivity.
• This dysconnectivity is associated with core ASD symptoms, suggesting its role in the disorder's manifestation.
• Findings support the potential of functional connectivity as an early biomarker for ASD screening and intervention planning.